Vehicle spring suspension



Nov. 3, l942.- E. J. DONDLINGER 2,300,557

VEHICLE SPRING SUSPENSIO N S Filed June 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet lJZEUeIZZ OTF B qem (Zflbmellziye;

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Nov. 3, 1942.

VEHICLE SPRING SUSPENSIONS Filed June 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1:..1.DONDLINGEI I 2,306,537"

Patented Nov. 3, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE SPRINGSUSPENSION Eugene J. Dondlinger, Chicago, 111'.

Application June 5, 1940, Serial No. 338,97 5

9 Claims.

This invention relates to road vehicles of the type in which two loadsupporting axles are connected together to form a truck provided withsprings extending from axle to axle and distributing the load of theframe and body thereto. One object of this invention is to provide aspring suspension of the type indicated and so connected to the axles asto avoid undue torsional stresses therein when opposite sides of thetruck stand at different levels or out of parallel relation to eachother. Another object of the invention'is to provide a relatively simplespring suspension for a vehicle truck having two parallel axles in whichthe springs'are adapted to resist the torque incident to driving andbraking while at the same time they are connected to the axles so as topermit them to follow uneven road contour without transmitting excessivetwisting strains to the vehicle frame which the truck carries. It isalso an object of the invention to provide a vehicle truck of the typeindicatedin which the springs at one side of the truck are connected tothe axles so as to maintain a fixed relation between them and so as toassume most of the torque, while the springs at the opposite side areprovided with compensating connections permitting the axles to altertheir relation to each other in following irregularities of the road.Other features and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.The invention consists in certain features and elements of constructionin combination, as herein shown and described and as indicated by theclaims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a partial plan view of a road vehicle chassis adapted toemploy a spring suspension embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view taken as a section as indicated at line2-2 on Figure 1, and viewing the spring suspension from the left side ofthe vehicle.

Figure 3 is an elevational view taken as a section as indicated at line3-3 on Figure 1-, and viewing the spring suspension from the right sideof the vehicle.

Figure 4 is an elevational view taken similarly to Figure 2, butindicating the relative positions of the parts in following an irregularroad sur- Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a furthermodification.

The spring suspension which is the subject of this invention isillustrated as applied to the driving axles of a motor truck, and Figure1 indicates a dual drive construction by which power is transmitted toboth axles; but it may be understood that the spring suspension itselfis also applicable where the load supporting wheel arrangement issimilar as in trailer vehicles or at the. front end of a heavy dutymotor truck where the wheels would be suitably mounted for steering, butnot necessarily connected to the power plant for driving purposes. Asshown in Figure l l, the vehicle frame includes side members I, l

with a forward axle 2 having road wheels 3 and a rear axle 4 having roadwheels 5. Figure 1 also indicates propeller drive shafts 6 and 1extending to differential housings 3 and 9, respectively, through whichpower is transmitted to the wheels 3 and. 5 simultaneously. Therefore,in subsequent views the axles 2 and 4 are indicated as housingsenclosing drive shafts for the wheels,

but it may be understood that the spring suspension to which thisinvention is directed might be employed with solid axles such as arecommonly used on trailers or as front axles for motor vehicles.

As shown in Figure 2, the axles 2 and 4 are connected at the left sideof the frame by means of a lower spring H and an upper spring I2 whichare clamped tothe lower and upper faces, respectively, of a block orcasting I 3 pivotally connected to the frame member I, by a trunnion Mwhich is attached to the frame member I, by a suitable means including abracket plate seen at l5. The middle of each of the springs I I and I2is thus securely anchored to the block l3, so that the springs will.rock as a unit about the trunnion M in response to vertical movements ofthe wheels 3 and 5 in traveling over irregularities of the road. Thespring II is secured by pivot bolts It to brackets I? which may be ofbifurcated form and which are rigidly secured to the hollow axles 2 and4 and extend downwardly from them. Rigid bifurcated brackets l8 extendupwardly from the axles, but instead of being pivotally connected to theends of the spring [2, they are formed with rounded pads IS on which theend portionsof the spring l2 rest and over which they are slidable whenthe springs deflect in response to variations of load pressure or whenthe side of the truck rocks about the trunnion M as hereinafter morefully explained. The spring l2 may include downwardly bent end portionsI211 serving as guards to prevent the springs from escaping endwise fromthe brackets l8, and the brackets include cross bolts 20 to retain thespring ends in position over the pads l9.

Figure 3 illustrates the spring arrangement at the opposite sid of thetruck, showing a lower spring 2| and an upper spring 22 secured rigidlyto a block 23 which is pivoted on a trunnion |4 similar to that employedon the left side, as already described. The spring 2| is connected withthe axles 2 and 4 by pivot bolts l6 secured in brackets dependingrigidly from the axles; and the axles are provided with similarupstanding brackets 28, to which the ends of the upper spring 22 areattached by pivot bolts 29. Preferably the springs 2| and 22 are similarin design and dimensions, so that the load is distributed about equallybetween them.

It may be noted that in the particular design chosen for illustrationthe hollow axles 2 and 4 are of square cross section and are shown slighly tilted; this tilted position is merely incidental to the inclinedposition of propeller drive shafts associated with these axles, but forthe purpose of simplifying the drawings the representation of the driveshafts and of the differential housings has been omitted from all viewsexcept Figure 1. It will be understood that the spring connectingbrackets l1, l8 and 28 may be readily designed forapplication to axlesof other cross section and that the tilted position of the square axlesillustrated does not affect the operation of the spring suspension.

In Figure 4 it is assumed that the Wheels 3 and adjacent the springs 2|and 22-that is, on the right side of the vehicle, are traveling upon asubstantially level portion of the road surface indicated by a full lineA, while the wheels at the opposite side of the truck are traversing anirregular surface indicated by the broken line B, so that the forwardwheel 3 at the left side of the vehicle is considerably elevated, whilethe rear wheel 5 at the left side is dropped into a depression in thecontour B. Therefore, at the left side of the truck, which includes thestructure shown in Figure 2, the forward axle 2 is raised and the rearaxle 4 is lowered, causing the springs H and I2 to assume obliquepositions as they rock as a unit about the trunnion I4. If the ends ofthe axles 2 and 4 were anchored to the springs H and I2 by rigidbrackets and pivotal connections like those shown in Figure 3, thisrocking or rotation of the springs II and I2 about the trunnion l4 wouldtend to produce limited angular rotation of the axles 2 and 4 about theaxis of the trunnion l4; or rather since the opposite ends of the axlescould not be thus rotated, there would be twisting or torsional strainsset up in the axles themselves or transmitted to the springs causingbreakage or permanent distortion of the parts. But since the upperspring |2 is only slidably engaged with the brackets l8 at the bearingpads IS, the rocking of the springs and I2 to the position shown inFigure 4 is accomplished Without setting up any such torsional strainsin the axles 2 and 4. By reason of the pivotal connections at It betweenthe lower spring H and the bracket arms H the portions of the axles 2and 4 adjacent the springs I and I2 are permitted to shift upward anddownward from their original positions without rotation. The upperbrackets l8 are thus maintained rigidly in positions substantiallyparallel to their original positions while the rocking movement of theupper spring i2 about the axis of trunnion I4 causes it to slidelengthwise through th brackets I8 as shown in Figure 4.

It will be evident that if the right side of the truck instead of theleft side should encounter an uneven road surface, the springs 2| and 22would rock as a unit about their trunnion bearing I4 and in this casethe bracket arms [1 and 28 would be swung with the springs to similaroblique positions out of parallel to their original positions; and thiswould cause limited angular rotation of the axles 2 and 4 about thetrunnion axis. But at the other side of the truck the sliding relationbetween the ends of the spring l2 and the supporting pads [9 in thebrackets |8 would permit these brackets to shift under the spring I2 inresponse to the slight twisting of the axles 2 and 4, thus avoiding anystrain which would otherwise result from this torsional effect. Thiscondition is not illustrated in the drawings since it will be readilyunderstood after an appreciation of Figure 4 and the action which itrepresents.

Figure 5 illustrates a modified construction designed to accomplishsubstantially the same results as that already described. In this caseit may be assumed that one side of the truck is equipped with springsarranged as shown in Figure 3that is, with both springs pivotallyattached at both ends to brackets rigidly secured to both axles. Then onthe opposite side of the truck the lower spring 3| is pivotallyconnected by spring bolts 33 to bracket arms 34 extending rigidly fromboth axles 35. The upper spring 32 is equipped at both ends withshackles 36 pivotally attached to the spring ends at 3'! and pivotallyconnected at 38 to bracket arms 39 extending rigidly upward from theaxles. Thus, under conditions such as those indicated in Figure 4, theupper spring 32 will be permitted to shift lengthwise with respect tothe axles 35 by pivotal movement of its shackles 36 about theirconnecting pivots 38, and in this way the torsional strains which wouldotherwise be set up in the axles 35 will be avoided.

Figure 6 illustrates on a larger scale than Figure 5 the arrangement ofone of the shackles 36, showing its pivotal connection at 33 to theshort bracket arms 39 which are shown welded to the round axle 35 whilesimilarly welded arms 34 extend downwardly for pivotal connection withthe spring 3| at 33.

It should be understood that the accommodation afforded by the slidablearrangement of the spring H! with respect to the axles 2 and 4 or by thepivoted shackles 36 need not be secured entirely at one spring. Figure'7 illustrates an arrangement in which the lower spring 4| is pivoted atone end to a rigid bracket arm 44, while at the opposite end it isconnected to a pivoted shackle 46 depending from a short rigid bracket49 attached to the axle 52. From the upper side of the axle 52 a rigidbracket arm 43 connects with one end of the upper spring 42 while theother axle 54 is fitted at its upper side with a bracket 49 and shackle43 connected to the other end of the spring 42. Thus, each of thesprings is provided with an accommodating connection to one of the axlesso as to permit limited torsional movement of either axle as a result ofthe relative rocking of the two sides of the truck in traversing anuneven rod surface.

With any of the constructions above described it will be evident thatwhen they are applied to driving axles as in a motor truck, the drivingtorque will be resisted by the pair of springs at one side which areconnected pivotally to rigid bracket arms as shown in Figure 3,supplemented by the rigid bracket arms at the opposite ends of theaxles. In Figures 2 and 5 these rigid arms are both attached to a lowerspring of the pair, and this spring transmits the torque to the vehicleframe along with the two springs 2| and 22 of Figure 3. In Figure '7 oneend of the lower spring l! is available for transmitting torque from thebracket arm 64, and one end of the spring 42 is likewise available incombination with the arm 33. Similarly, in each construction there arethree springs ar their equivalent available for carrying the stressesincident to braking, whether the construction be employed on a motordriven vehicle or on a trailer, since trailer vehicles requiring tandemaxles of this character will practically always be fitted with brakes.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structureembodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the artthat various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and thatthe same is not limited to the particular form herein shown anddescribed, except in so far as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vehicle truck comprising a pair of axles, a vehicle frame,trunnion means on the frame intermediate said axles, and a pair ofsprings at each side of the frame having their middle portions securedrigidly together, said spring being mounted one above the other on saidtrunnion means for oscillation together thereon, the I ends of bothsprings at one side of said frame being pivotally attached directly tothe axles, and at the other side of the frame the ends of one spring ofthe pair being pivotally attached directly to the axles, the ends of theother spring engaging the axles with capacity for play in the directionof the length of said spring.

2. In a vehicle truck comprising a pair of axles, a vehicle frame,trunnion means on the frame intermediate said axles, and a pair ofsprings at each side of the frame mounted one above the other on saidtrunnion means of oscillation together thereon, the ends of both springsat one side of said frame being pivotally attached directly to theaxles, and at the other side of the frame the ends of one spring of thepair being pivotally attached directly to the axles, with shacklesconnecting both ends of the other spring to the axles, respectively.

3. In a vehicle truck comprising a pair of axles, a vehicle frame,trunnion means on the frame intermediate said axles, and a pair ofsprings at each side of the frame mounted one above the other on saidtrunnion means for oscillation together thereon, the ends of bothsprings at one side of said frame being pivotally attached directly tothe axles, and at the other side of the frame each axle being engagedwith an end of one of the springs by means affording capacity forrelative play of the axle and spring in the direction of the length ofthe spring, the other spring ends at that side of the frame beingpivotally attached directly to the axles, respectively.

i. In a vehicle truck comprising a pair of axles,

'a vehicle frame, trunnion means on the frame intermediate said axles,and a pair of springs at each side of the frame mounted one above theother on said trunnion means for oscillation together thereon, the endsof both springs at one side of said frame being pivotally attached di- 7rectly to the axles, and at the other side of the frame a shackleconnecting eachaxle with an end of one of the springs, the other springends intermediate said axles, and a pair of springs at each side of theframe having their middle portions secured rigidly together, saidsprings being mounted one above the other on said trunnion means foroscillation together thereon, the ends of both springs at one side ofsaid frame being pivotally attached directly to the axles, and at theother side of the frame the ends of one spring of the pair beingpivotally attached directly to the axles, each axle having a bracketextending rigidly therefrom and the ends of the other spring beingslidably engaged in said brackets, respectively.

6. In a vehicle truck comprising a pair of axles, a vehicle frame,trunnion means on the frame intermediate said axles, and a pair ofsprings at each side of the frame mounted one above the other on saidtrunnion means for oscillation together thereon, the ends of bothsprings at one side of said frame being pivotally attached directly tothe axles, and at the other side of the frame each axle being pivotallyconnected directly with an end of one of the springs, the other springends at that side being slidably engaged with the axles, respectively,for relative movement of said parts in the direction of the length ofthe spring.

7. In a vehicle truck comprising a pair 0 axles, a vehicle frame,trunnion means on the frame intermediate said axles, and a pair ofsprings at each side of the frame mounted one above the other on saidtrunnion means for 0scillation together thereon, the ends of bothsprings at one side of said frame being pivotally attached directly tothe axles, and at the other side of the frame the ends of the lowerspring being pivotally attached directly to the axles, the ends of theupper spring engaging said axles with capacity for play in the directionof the length of said spring.

' 8. In a vehicle truck comprising a pair of axles, a vehicle frame,trunnion means on the frame intermediate said axles, and a pair ofsprings at each side of the frame connected ,together at their middleportions and mounted one above the other on said trunnion means foroscillation together thereon, the ends of both springs at one side ofsaid frame being pivotally attached directly to the axles, and at theother side of the frame the ends of the lower spring being pivotallyattached directly to the axles, each axles having a bracket extendingrigidly therefrom and the ends of the upper spring being slidablyengaged in said brackets, respectively.

9. In a vehicle truck comprising a pair of axles, a vehicle frame,trunnion means on the frame intermediate said axles, and a pair ofsprings at each side of the frame mounted one above the other on saidtrunnion means for oscillation together thereon, the ends of bothsprings at one side of said frame being pivotally attached directly tothe axles, and at the other side of the frame a shackle connecting eachaxle with one end of the upper spring, the ends of the lower spring atthat side being pivotally attached directly to the axles, respectively.

EUGENE J. D'ONDLINGER.

